Andrew Gale: All-rounder Willey’s proving to be a big game player for us

THE lads have performed really well this last week to claim three wins on the spin.

I am really pleased for them.

They are getting some momentum in both the one day competitions at the business end of the competitions, just at the right time.

Hopefully they can continue that and get into the knockout stages and who knows from there?

It’s still early days and we obviously set out at the start of the season to win three trophies. We’re six or seven weeks away from the end of the season and ahead of last night’s game were still in with a shout of getting three trophies. We are playing some good cricket, we have got a lot of confidence and we are getting momentum at the right time so three trophies is still on the cards.

We beat Northants last Friday in the T20 in which David Willey hit 74 and he is very much a big match player. You want your big players to turn up in games like that – when you need to win – and that’s what he did. He stood up. He’s probably not had that outstanding knock yet and Friday proved that when he’s on song he can win you a game. He was outstanding.

David is 26 years old and he’s obviously involved in the England set up in the white ball stuff. He’s got aspirations to play Test cricket and I think he’s got all the attributes to do that. He’s a winner. He knows what he needs to improve in his game and if he keeps improving then who knows.

We then beat Leicestershire in the One-Day Cup on Sunday by 191 runs by scoring 376-3 and I was pleased for Travis Head and Jack Leaning who put on a massive partnership and a record score as well.

Travis looks the real deal, he’s a player I have been really impressed with and he hits the ball as hard as anyone I’ve seen.

He’s still a young lad and I’m pleased that he’s got that off his back – that first big score to prove what he can do.

Travis is only 22 years old so he’s got a big future in the game.

Jack is a guy who’s probably struggled for form a little bit this year but that big hundred there can really kick start his season. He’s coming into form at the right time.

We then beat Notts on Wednesday when we had a big knock from Tim Bresnan.

His batting has been going from strength to strength over the last few years and he is really becoming a massive, valuable player in all formats for us now.

In terms of the England set up for Bres, I think there’s probably a lot of players in front of him at the minute.

I don’t think he’s even thinking about that or whether he is contention.

His England ambitions have probably passed him by and I think he’d admit that himself.

But I think he is just enjoying playing games for Yorkshire and winning games for Yorkshire.

Personally, I’m obviously disappointed not to be involved in the 50-over comp. I feel like I could have played a part in it but it hasn’t worked out and the lads are winning games of cricket so it’s up to me.

I have played a little bit of second team this week and spent a bit of time in the middle to help develop some of the younger lads and hopefully I am ready and raring to go next week for the Championship game.

We had a big game last night at Northants in the T20 where we had a chance to get a home quarter-final which is always big. We then have two games in two days tomorrow and Monday against Durham and then Warwickshire in the One Day Cup and they are both good sides.

It would be nice to particularly beat Warwickshire on Monday to give us some confidence going into the Championship game against them on Thursday as well.

But I think it’s about just keeping the foot on the gas.

Whether we win tomorrow and we qualify or not, it’s about keeping that confidence and momentum going forward.

It feels like a long time since we played Championship cricket and the break came at a bad time for me really.

I got a few runs down at The Oval and I’ve been getting myself back into some form so I would have liked back-to-back Championship games to keep that going.

I have had a decent break from it and I have managed to keep in good form and play some second team cricket.